


This Side of Paradise

by xanavici



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Noodle Dragons, Old McCree had a farm, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, actual rancher McCree, lightly seasoned with angst and family drama, long fic, oh god why did i give him such a big family, two men so in love its disgusting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-27
Updated: 2017-09-01
Packaged: 2018-10-24 12:50:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 19,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10742052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xanavici/pseuds/xanavici
Summary: When a close call makes McCree re-evaluate some things in his life, he decides it's time to visit his family for the first time in seven years.  And he's always wanted to show Hanzo where he grew up.





	1. Chapter 1

_I’m sorry mama_

Jesse wakes with a start, breathing hard and unsteady.  He tries to sit up but everything hurts, his head is swimming, his chest is too tight to get a good breath in, he doesn’t know where he is, and one thought is running through his mind.

_I’m sorry dad_

“McCree, McCree, Jesse!” An urgent voice catches his attention and he sees Angela standing in from of him.  She’s wearing pajamas and looks like she just woke up but the worry in her voice is evident.

“Jesse you’re safe.  You’re in the med bay back in Gibraltar.  You were injured badly, do you remember?”

Jesse closes his eyes and thinks back.  Yes, he remembers being in Lijang.  The team was trying to protect a data bank of classified info from Talon in the tower. And like an idiot rookie he didn’t watch his back.  He remembers feeling a pinch in his back before pain erupted across his whole chest.  He remembers blacking out shortly after and only being able to focus on one thing.

_I’m sorry mama_

Jesse opens his eyes again and nods slowly.  Even that small motion brings discomfort.  Angela seems to notice and presses a button next to his head.  Previous stays in the med bay lets Jesse know that the good doctor just upped his morphine drip.

“The bullet barely missed your heart, but it did shred the top of your left lung,” she continued.  “I was able to repair it after extensive surgery.  Unfortunately that means bedrest for the next week and no active duty missions for a month.”

Jesse lets out a sigh of annoyance, he hates sitting around all day.  He reflexively reaches towards his front pocket to grab a cigarillo only to grab at nothing and realize he’s wearing a hospital gown. 

“Extensive lung surgery also means no smoking for six weeks.  And I mean it Jesse, irritating your lungs like that when they’re trying to heal can have serious and permanent repercussions.”

Jesse groans and half wishes the bullet had done its job.  He doesn’t dare defy a direct order from Angela after what happened last time he didn’t do as he was told.  He still occasionally had nightmares about that.  Angela just laughs and starts checking over Jesse’s stats on the monitor.

“I will give you some nicotine patches and gum to help with withdrawal symptoms; maybe this will finally get you to quit for good.  In the meantime, someone had been waiting to talk to you.”

Jesse finally notices the soft blue light coming from the foot of his bed.  Looking up carefully he sees two familiar looking dragons lying on top of his legs and watching him with careful eyes.  He then follows Angela’s gaze to the back corner of the room where he sees his boyfriend sitting in a chair.  Jesse smiles as Hanzo walks over to his bed.  Hanzo, as always, is impassive. 

When Angela finishes her job and leaves the room, Hanzo gives Jesse one of his deadly stares.  The cowboy feels more terrified right now than when he got shot.

“You idiot,” Hanzo hisses.  “Why did you leave yourself wide open like that?  It’s like you were asking to get shot!  I saw the video footage when the team got back.” He says, answering Jesse’s unasked question of how he knew.

Hanzo raises his hand as to slap Jesse before stopping and lowering it back down.  All of the tension releases out of his body and he suddenly looks very tired.

“I almost lost you,” he whispers.

Jesse tries to talk but only succeeds in rasping out a few coughs.  Hanzo helps him up into a sitting position and gives him some water from a cup that was sitting next to his bed.  Jesse takes a couple of sips and tries talking again.

“’M sorry.  Forgot ya weren’t there watchin’ my back for me, I guess.”

Hanzo gives him a weak smile and takes Jesse’s real hand in his own.  He presses a gentle kiss to his forehead then settles into a chair next to the bed.  The two little blue dragons glide up and resettle on either side of Jesse’s belly.

“How long was I out fer?”

“Five days,” Hanzo says shakily.  “Doctor Ziegler was not certain you would wake up the first couple of days.  Soba and Udon refused to leave your side the whole time, even when Doctor Ziegler forced me to leave and get some rest.”

“Damn… haven’t had a call that close in a while.”

The two fall into an uncomfortable silence as Jesse starts thinking about the thought he had woken up to.

_I’m sorry mama, I’m sorry dad_

“Something is bothering you.” Hanzo states in matter of fact tone.  Jesse doesn’t know whether to be happy or slightly disgruntled that his boyfriend can read him so well.  It’s going to make hiding birthday gifts in a couple months that much harder.

“You know you can tell me anything.  What is it?”

Jesse stares down at the dragons and hesitates for a second, not knowing how to say what he’s feeling.  Hanzo squeezes his hand reassuringly.

“We’ve both had our fair share of brushes with death.  Bein’ here in the med bay ain’t nothin’ new,” Jesse starts slowly.  “But fer some reason, this time really got to me I guess.  All I can think about right now is how I almost bit the dust and my family would think that I died as nothin’ more than a no good criminal.”

“They do not know you are back with Overwatch?  Or that most of the crimes you are accused of were not committed by you?”

“Naw, they don’t know anything about the new ‘Watch, we are still technically illegal.  And I’ve kinda tried tellin’ them that I didn’t do half of that stuff but I don’t know if they believe me.”

Jesse’s quiet again for a couple seconds before a lightbulb goes off in his head.  He looks up to ask Hanzo for help and sees the man already holding a phone out for him.  Jesse smiles and takes the phone.

“Ya know me too well darlin’.”

“That is why you love me.  Now that I know you are okay I am going to go get some tea for both of us.  I will be back soon.”

“How about some coffee instead?”

Hanzo just laughs and kisses Jesse’s forehead again before standing to leave.

“Angela said no caffeine for two weeks.”

“No movin’, no smokin’, and no caffeine.  If I didn’t know any better I’d say Angie’s trying to kill me.”

Hanzo leaves the room and Jesse stares at the phone for a couple of minutes, trying to gather the courage to make the call.  He finally forces his fingers to cooperate and punches in the number from memory.  He hopes it hasn’t changed in the last couple years.  The line rings three, four, five times and Jesse half hopes it goes straight to voice mail, but the line clicks and a rough voice sounds out from the other side.

“Hello?”

“Hey dad.”  Jesse’s voice shakes from a sudden nervousness.

“Jesse?  Is that you?”

“Yea dad, it’s me.”

“Oh, my boy, it’s good to hear from you.  Why do you sound so funny though?  Are you still talking with that ridiculous accent?”

Jesse laughs and feels the worry in side of him settle down.

“I’ve got a reputation as a good ol’ cowboy to maintain, that includes the accent.”

“Ahhh, okay… It really is good to hear from you son, you’re mom and I were getting worried.  Nothing, not even a letter in almost two years.  We thought someone finally collected on that bounty of yours.”

“Naw, I’m still kickin’, but I’m sorry, I shoulda let ya guys know I was okay.  Is mama around?  I’d like to hear her voice too.”

“Yea, let me go get her.”

Jesse waits and hears some commotion in the background.  Never a quiet moment in the McCree household he remembers.  Soba crawls onto his body and lays it’s head on his belly, obviously wanting Jesse to scratch his head.  Jesse obliges.  The door to his room slides open and Hanzo walks back in with two mugs in his hand.  Silently he sits back down in the chair and hands one mug over to Jesse as Udon hops down into his lap.  A new voice sounds over the phone.

“Jesse?  _Mijo_?  Are you there?”

“Hey mama, I’m right here.”

“Oh sweetheart it’s so good to hear your voice, it’s been too long.”

“I know, that’s what dad said too.  I’m sorry for not calling sooner.”

“Oh it’s okay _mijo_.  It everything okay though?  Are you well?  Not hurt?  You aren’t dying, right?”

Jesse laughs, of course his mother would ask something like that, even if she is just joking.

“No mama, I’m not dying’, not anymore at least.”

“Not anymore?  Jesse Emmanuel McCree, what have you gotten yourself into this time!”

“Mamá, _¡relajese_ , r _elajese!_   Nothin’ bad this time, I promise.  But it is a long and complicated story-”  Jesse hesitates and wills the fear to stay out of his voice, “-a story I would rather tell ya in person, if that’s alright?”

“Oh Jesse, we would love for you to come home, of course it’s alright.”

Jesse lets out a sigh of relief.

“Great, can I come in two weeks?”

“ _Perfecto_ , your sister, Maria, and her family will be here then.  I’ll call the twins and see if they can make it too.  We can have a family reunion!”

“That would be nice mama.”

“Okay, we have to go _mijo_ but we’ll see you soon.  _Te amamos_.”

“ _Te amo_ Amá.”

Jesse hangs up after his parents do and finally takes a spin of his tea.  Hanzo thankfully put a little sugar in it so it’s not as bitter as he was expecting.

“Your parents sounded happy to hear from you.  Even more so to have you visit home.”

“Yea, they were.  It’s been way to long since I’ve been back there.”

“When was the last time you were home?”

Jesse takes a long sip and absentmindedly scratches his beard as he thinks, much to Soba’s annoyance.

“Oh, almost seven years.  Went back for the first time since I ran off with the Deadlocks after the Swiss explosions just to let them know I was still alive.”

“They knew you were in Blackwatch then?”

“Nah, they thought I was with Overwatch.  After Gabe drafted me he made me write a letter to ‘em when he found out I still had a family out there.  Told ‘em I got out of Deadlock and I was with Overwatch, trying to do some good for once.  Never got a response back, probably cause I was workin’ for an organization that technically didn’t exist and as such, didn’t have a return address, but Gabe said that didn’t matter.  Just needed to let them know I was done being a fuck up.  Sent ‘em a couple more letters over the years, when Ana went M-I-A, when I lost my arm, when I finally left Overwatch.  Never called or visited though, was always too afraid of what they would say. 

“But when those bombs went off and I lost Gabe, I realized I needed to make amends with ‘em ‘fore it was too late.  So I went back there and groveled at their feet for forgiveness.  Fer some reason they took me back like I’d never left.  Showed me all the letters they’d tried to send me but couldn’t ‘cuz they didn’t know where I was.  We talked for days and fixed our relationship a lot.  It still ain’t perfect, never will be, but it’s okay.  Tried fixing things with my older brother, Peter, who lives on the ranch with ‘em and his wife, but things didn’t go too well with ‘im.  Tracked down my other siblings, Maria, Robbie, and Sara, and kinda fixed things with ‘em too.  Met a couple of nieces and nephews which was really great. 

“But trouble caught up with me like it always does and that bounty on my head started growin’.  I sent them letters and called when I could, but never went home, didn’t want to bring trouble to their door step.  Then the recall went out and life got crazy and I forgot to send ‘em any letters or calls.  So yea, long story short it’s been too long.”

Hanzo sips at his tea and gently pets Udon while he absorbs everything Jesse told him.

“Do you think Winston and Doctor Ziegler will let you travel all the way to New Mexico alone?” he finally asks after a couple moments.

“Eh, Angie already pulled me off active duty for a month so Winston can’t send me on any missions anyways, and a few rounds with the Cadecus and I should be good enough to travel.  And I won’t be alone, not if you come with me.”

This seems to startle Hanzo and it takes him a couple tries to respond.  “You want me to come with you?  To meet your family?”

“Yea honey, I do.  They mean a lot to me, and so do you.  I would really like it if you came.”

“Of course I’ll come,” says Hanzo with a smile.  Soba chirps happily and nestles into Jesse’s neck, making him smile.

Two weeks later, after some lengthy negotiations with Winston and Angela, Jesse and Hanzo pack their bags and leave for Santa Fe for a week.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In honor of me finally finishing the semester from hell, i give you this

Jesse steps off of the hyper-train and wishes for a cigarillo the instant the sun hits his eyes.  Jet-lagged, tired, and cranky he pops another stick of nicotine gum into his mouth, but not without complaining to Hanzo.  Hanzo just takes it in stride and picks up their bags before hailing a taxi.  He lets Jesse complain the whole way to the ranch about the flight, the bright sun, the annoying crowds, but cuts him off with a kiss when they get out at the ranch.

It makes quite a sight.  Five generations of McCree’s have lived on this land.  The property is spread out at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and has lush fields, sheltered by the peaks.  Almost a dozen buildings and fifty acres make up Jesse’s childhood home.  He honestly thought he wouldn’t live long enough to see it again.

Jesse looks up at the old rusted sign that hangs above the entrance to the ranch. 

_McCr  e Ranch_

He takes a deep breath and a genuine smile breaks out across his face.  The familiar smell of sun baked clay and cow manure takes him back to childhood days.  When his mom showed him those old western films and his dad taught him how to ride and shoot.  When Maria played _two truths and a lie_ with him and Peter taught him how to play cards.  When he would practice his southern accent with Sara to make her laugh and wrestle with Robbie.  When life was still good.

Out of the corner of his eye Jesse sees Hanzo wrinkle his nose at the smell and he laughs.

“What?  Is the smell of a good ol’ American ranch not up ta the standards of a dragon lord?”

“It is fine,” replies Hanzo as he tries not to cough.  Jesse just laughs harder and takes a bag before slinging an arm around his boyfriend’s waist, pulling him closer.  They walk like that towards the house while Jesse starts going over the names of everyone in his family.

“So, there’s my mom and dad, Isabella and Neal.  Mom was born south of the border but moved up here with her family when she was a kid and Dad already lived here with his family.  They met, married, and moved on ta the ranch.  Shortly after came Mariá, who’s now a professor at Texas Tech and married to her wife, Cheyenne.  They have two kids, Mark and Tina.  Mamá said Mark’s in college right now so he won’t be here but Tina will be.  Two years later came my older brother Peter.  Now he’s married to Stephanie and they both live on the ranch, taking care of it with my parents.  And you remember that he and I don’t get along that well.  Mamá and dad’s next child was a dashing young boy who grew up to be a heroic cowboy.”

“I wonder who that could be.”  Hanzo says in deadpan, though the hint of a smile on his face ruins the delivery. 

“Yea well, love ya too.  Any who, five years after me finally came the twins, Sarah and Roberto –or Robbie.  Sarah’s the older one, and she won’t let you forget it.  She’s travellin’ around the country as a musician.  Robbie’s a police officer in Albuquerque -that was in interestin’ conversation when I showed up at his house, thought fer sure he was gonna arrest my ass on the spot.  He’s married to Gina and they have three kids, Sofia, Thomas, and Joel. 

“So yea, that’s the whole family.  I ain’t expectin’ ya to remember all’a that right away.  It’s probably gonna take a lil’ while.”

“Do not underestimate me, _anata_.  As the son of a yakuza boss I had to remember the names and ranks of all the members in our organization as well as those of our business partners.  I can handle the names of your family members… What was Peter’s wife’s name again?”

Jesse laughs and kisses Hanzo’s head. 

He hears the noise well before they step on the front porch.  Just like he remembers.  He knocks on the door but no one answers.  He pounds on the door a little harder and hears a crash from inside followed by rapid fire Spanish.

The door flies open and in front of him stands his mother.  Isabella McCree doesn’t move for a second until Jesse awkwardly says hello, then she’s falling forward into his arms and wrapping him in a bear hug whose strength rivals even Reinhardt’s.

“Oh _mijo_!  _Finally, you’re here_!  _Look at you, my beautiful boy_.” She says in rushed Spanish.

“ _It’s good to see you, mamá_.”

Tears started welling in Jesse’s eyes as realizes how long it’s really been since he’s seen his mom.  He buries his face in her hair and wraps his arms around her.  Jesse wishes he could stay right here for the rest of his life, but a female voice from inside the house startles him.

“ _Mamá, where are you?  Did your mystery guest finally arrive?”_

Jesse looks up and sees Maria standing in the hallway with a shocked look on her face.  The cowboy quickly wipes the tears from his eyes and gives her a thousand-watt smile.

“Hey there sis, long time no see.”

Maria lets out a piercing scream -which causes everyone in the house to run for the front door- and jumps into Jesse’s arms.  Jesse stumbles back and almost falls but manages to stay upright while he laughs and spins his sister around.

“¡ _Pendejo_!” Maria says after Jesse puts her down, accentuating the insult with a punch to the chest.  Jesse, still sore from his wound stumbles again and grimaces slightly.  “Two years without hearing a peep from you then you show up at Mamá and Dad’s house out of the blue.  I can’t believe you Jes.”

“You did tell ‘em I was coming?” Jesse asks his mother who just smiles and laughs.

“I wanted it to be a surprise.”

Introductions are a lot less violent after that.  There are hugs all around as brothers, sisters, spouses, nieces and nephews all clamber to say hello.  By the end of it Jesse just wants to go inside and sleep for ten hours.  A small cough from behind reminds him that he brought a guest and he slaps his forehead for forgetting.

“Hey, hey, everyone!  I want ya’ll ta meet someone.”  Jesse grabs Hanzo’s hand and pulls and the slightly uncomfortable looking man to his side.  “Everyone, this is my boyfriend, Hanzo.”

Isabella takes Hanzo’s hands, much to his discomfort, and looks him up and down.

“ _This handsome man is your boyfriend_?” she asks Jesse, almost like she couldn’t believe it.

“ _Yes mama, my boyfriend_.”

“Ahh, welcome Hanzo,” Isabella says, switching back into English.  “It’s so good to meet you.  I can’t wait to hear all about you!”

Isabella pulls the archer into a hug and Jesse sees him stiffen up like a board.  Jesse quickly tries to find a way to end this whole debacle before Hanzo pulls out Stormbow and shoots anyone else who invades his personal space.

“There’ll be time for that later mama, but right now we would both appreciate getting a nap.  That jetlag is somethin’ fierce.”

“Of course, of course, flying from- where did you two come from again?”

Jesse sweats and pulls Hanzo inside the house after him.  “I- ahh, we’ll talk about that later.  Are we in my old room?”

Jesse escorts Hanzo upstairs, not sticking around long enough for an answer or for anyone to question them further.  Inside his room with the door safely shut behind them and bags stored in the corner, Jesse lets out a breath he didn’t know he was holding.  His room looks exactly the same as the last time he was here.  Old movie posters with cowboys cover the walls.  Pictures of family and friends cover the top of his dresser.  A few glow-in-the-dark stars are stuck to the celling, but it looks like a few more have fallen down.  He knows that if he opens his closest he’ll find his old baseball glove and the first cowboy hat his parents ever gave him.

“Sorry ‘bout not warning you ‘bout them.  They’re worse than me in the volume and touching departments.”

“It is alright,” Hanzo says.  “They just surprised me.  I have grown more used to it -thanks to you- and it will just take me a moment to adjust.  Your family is very nice, I can see why you wanted to come home.”

Jesse wraps Hanzo in a hug and kisses the top of his head.  Hanzo relaxes into the touch and gladly returns the embrace.

“’M glad you like them.  Have ta admit I was a little worried ya wouldn’t,” Jesse says, voice muffled by hair.  Hanzo pulls back and looks Jesse in the eyes.

“My love, they are your family, of course I would like them.”  Jesse beams and leans down for a real kiss, which Hanzo happily obliges.

“Now, about that nap you mentioned.  I may have underestimated the jet lag.” Hanzo finishes with a yawn.  Unable to stop himself, Jesse yawns as well then starts taking off his boots and flannel shirt to get more comfortable.  Hanzo peels off his own shirt that is already has sweat stains on it from the heat and switches into some shorts before climbing into the bed with Jesse.  Despite the afternoon sun streaming through the window both men fall asleep almost instantly.

 

* * *

 

Jesse is the first one to wake up five hours later, long after the sun has gone down.  He stretches like a cat then rolls over.  The sight in front of him causes him to laugh which he barely manages to stifle to avoid waking Hanzo.  Coiled on top of the archer’s head, in a tangled mess of usually perfectly styled hair, is Udon, sleeping peacefully.  Hanzo is drooling a little out of the corner of his mouth onto his pillow.  A small laugh escapes from Jesse and he quickly looks away before he completely loses it.  His eyes fall on Soba who’s stretched out at the foot of the bed like a long, noodle-y cat, where the sun light was hitting earlier.  The whole scene is just so domestic that Jesse can’t help the fond feeling that rushes over him.

Hanzo wakes up a couple minutes later, accidently dislodging Udon from his resting place.  The dragon retaliates by lazily hissing and nipping at Hanzo’s nose.  Jesse can’t stop the laugh this time and the sudden snort startles the other three occupants of the bed, waking them up fully.  Hanzo glares at Udon before clipping some annoyed Japanese words at the dragon.  Udon reluctantly disappears back into the tattoo, Soba following shortly after in a lazier manner.

“Looks like those two have made themselves right at home,” Jesse drawls. 

“They have become spoiled and grown accustomed used to being out and exploring due to our time in Gibraltar.  Now they want to be out all of the time, whether I call them or not.”

“That ain’t necessarily a bad thing.”

“No, merely an annoyance when I am preoccupied with more important things,” Hanzo says with a sultry tone.

“Careful sugar, keep talkin’ like that I’m not sure we’ll make it downstairs for dinner tonight.”

“Yes, we would not want to keep your family waiting.”  Hanzo stands and stretches out his tight muscles.  He looks behind him and sees Jesse staring at him, no attempt to move has been made.

“I thought you wanted to eat?”

“Oh I do, I’m jus’ enjoin’ the view.”  Jesse leans over and kisses the base of Hanzo’s spine, making him shiver, before getting up and shrugging on a new shirt. 

Hanzo, deciding that it’s still too hot for anything else, grabs a simple tank top and pulls on an old pair of Jesse’s jeans, rolling up the cuffs until they’re short enough.  The sight of Hanzo in his some of his clothes makes Jesse tackle him onto the bed and start a lazy make-out session.  Jesse reluctantly pulls away when he hears the familiar sounds associated with the chaos of getting dinner ready float up from downstairs.  The two fix their appearances into something more decent before walking down the steps hand in hand.

Pure mayhem is what they see as they step into the dining room.  Far too many bodies are in the kitchen, grabbing things out of drawers, pulling things down from cabinets, yelling in Spanish, as pots threaten to spill over and food comes close to rolling off the counter tops.  Despite this, water stays in the pots and all the food stays on the counter and somehow an edible meal starts to emerge out of the organized chaos.  Little kids run around as they set the table for dinner.  They’re giggling and shrieking, turning the chore into a game.  Jesse watches Hanzo rub his temples at the sight and the sound in front of them, a common sign of one of his headaches.  Jesse rubs a comforting hand on the back of his neck and dispels the pain. 

Maria sees them first when she looks up from chopping veggies and tells them to sit down at the table as they finish up cooking.  Heaping piles of food are brought out after not too long and everyone slowly makes their way to the large table.  As soon as everyone is seated every member of the McCree family goes quiet before bowing their head and repeating a prayer in Spanish.  Hanzo attempts to follow along with what they’re saying but unfortunately his Spanish is not quite good enough for that yet.  The chaos starts right back up again after they finish.  Everyone is yelling over each other for certain foods, dishes are passed around too fast for Hanzo to be able to snag some for himself.  Luckily Jesse is there to help him and Hanzo is able to get a very full plate of food before it’s all gone.

Jesse’s had a lot of very good meals at the Watchpoint cooked by their teammates, but nothing beats the taste of Isabella McCree’s cooking.  He’s so caught up in enjoying the rich flavors that he does not notice the room go quiet and twelve pairs of eyes focus on him until Hanzo elbows him in the side.  Jesse finally looks up and see’s everyone in the room staring at him and Hanzo.  Knowing how the sniper will react to all of this attention, Jesse squeezes the man’s thigh reassuringly.  It seems to work as Hanzo hesitantly starts eating again.

Isabella is the first one to break the silence.  “So?”

“So what?” Jesse says around a mouthful of food, earning him a stern glare from both of his parents.

“Jessito,” Isabella starts with an exasperated tone.  “You call your father and I out of the blue after not hearing from you for years then you show up injured –yes, I noticed that, you can’t get anything by your mama- and with a nice young man on your arm.  And you ask us ‘so what’.  Where have you been?  What trouble are you getting into now?  Where did you find such a handsome man that will put up with you?”

Jesse chokes on his beer.  He is really not ready to have this conversation yet.  Hanzo rubs his back and helps him calm down.  He gives Jesse a small nod that says ‘ _tell them before this gets any worse’_ and Jesse finally gathers his nerves enough to actually form some words.

“Well, uhhh, the easiest way ta answer all’a those questions is uhhh, well, fuck it.  I’m with Overwatch, again.  We’re with Overwatch.”

The room is completely silent for a couple seconds, and then erupts into a cacophony of yells.

“What!?”

“I thought Overwatch was illegal?”

“That doesn’t explain anything pendejo!”

“Great, my brother is still a no good criminal.”

Jesse is quickly overwhelmed with the yelling.  Last time there was this much confusion and yelling there was a very big explosion half way around the world and well, everyone knows how that ended.  He watches Peter shove away from the table and walk away in a huff.  Stephanie quickly follows him with an apologetic look on her face.  He sneaks a look over to Hanzo and yup, he’s eyeing an open window in the living room, ready to make a quick getaway.  Jesse grabs his hand to ground them both and waits for everyone to calm down.  It takes a while but eventually everyone quiets down enough for Jesse to explain everything.

He tells them about the Recall, how he almost didn’t accept it but eventually made the trip to Gibraltar.  How he reunited with so many members of the old guard and met so many new recruits.  How Hanzo was one of said new recruits, brought in by his brother.  How they couldn’t stand each other at first but eventually grew to tolerate each other then became friends and eventually something more. 

“Honestly, we couldn’t stand each other at first.  I though he was a stuck up, pompous asshole who couldn’t be trusted.”

“And I though he was a loud, crass, fool who was going to get himself, and the team, killed with his ridiculous outfit.”

“Yea but now ya love my outfit.”

“…”

“Sugar, seriously?”

“Your outfit is delightful and most certainly not an eyesore.”

“Babe…” Jesse says with a whimper.  Hanzo leans over and kisses his temple to make him feel better.  Unfortunately, Jesse is a weak man and it works.

“Wait, wait,” Sarah says once she gets her laughing under control.  “How did you two go from that to this?”

“Well, ya know how it goes.  Save each other’s lives a couple times and ya kinda have ta become friends.  It was all uphill from there,” Jesse explains.

The conversation flows easier as the night goes on.  Jesse’s words become less stilted and Hanzo relaxes more and more until nearly all of the tension is gone from his shoulders.  He even starts contrinuting to the story whenever Jesse forgets a detail. 

When they finish eating everyone moves to the living room without pausing their conversation.  Eventually Stephanie drags Peter back in and he begrudgingly sits down with them.  The pair also finds out what the rest of the McCree’s have been up to.  Maria tells everyone she finally got tenure at her university and her and Cheyenne might move down to Mexico once Tina is in college.  Robbie says he finally got promoted to lieutenant and that he and Gina are expecting another kid.  Sarah’s still travelling and just seeing where life takes her.  The only time conversation stops is when Thomas asks Hanzo if his tattoo is real.

“Yes,” Hanzo says hesitantly.  “Very much so.”

“Mom, I wanna tattoo like that.”

“Maybe when you’re older sweetie,” Gina replies.

“Tío, how did you lose your arm?” Joel asks next.

“Chupacabra ate it,” Jesse says without missing a beat.

Joel gasps then turns to Thomas.  “See!  I told you it was real!”

“Great Jesse, thanks.  Now I’ll never get them to go to sleep tonight,” Gina says with an exasperated but amused tone.

Thomas turns to Hanzo and asks “Is that how you lost your feet too?”

Hanzo freezes and looks to Jesse for an answer.  Jesse shrugs unhelpfully.

“Y-Yes?”

Thomas just nods thoughfully and goes back to playing with his siblings.  Jesse can tell Hanzo is thrown by the openness and brazenness all McCree’s possess, even at a young age.

Robbie and Gina are the first to say goodnight along with their kids who look like they’re about to fall asleep against Jesse and on the floor.  Mariá and Cheyenne are next, claiming needing to be up early tomorrow for a conference call.  Tina follows them up says she has a show she needs to watch tonight.  Isabella and Neal are next saying that they are too old to stay up this late.  Peter, Stephanie, and Sarah are the last to go leaving Jesse and Hanzo alone in the living room.

Once they’re sure everyone has turned in for the night, Hanzo lets Soba and Udon out.  They fly around the room exploring all the new sights and objects.  Hanzo curls up closer into Jesse’s side and lets out a content sigh.

“Kinda surprised ya didn’t do that earlier,” Jesse says while gesturing to the dragons who are currently making a mess in the fireplace.

“We had already dumped much new information on your family tonight.  I thought it would be wise to save the magical spirit dragons for later.”

“Fair ‘nough.  Are you doing okay?  Are they too loud?  Too much in general?  “Cuz I can ask ‘em ta tone it down if ya need.”

“Jesse I am fine.  I will become accustomed to them, I already have, but thank you for your concern.  They are a lovely family by the way.  I am very glad I came.”

Jesse’s smile isn’t his usual thousand-watt one, but one that is much softer and gentler.  One that’s reserved only for Hanzo.  He kisses Hanzo sweetly and tenderly, trying to pour his love into the kiss.  Hanzo returns it eagerly and with just as much emotion.  Though when Jesse pulls him into his lap and tries to heat things up he pulls back.  Jesse frowns but Hanzo chastely kisses it away.

“We are not doing this on your family’s couch.  If you want to continue this you will need to take me to bed.”

“I think that can be arranged.”

Jesse picks Hanzo up and carries him up to their room with the dragons following behind them. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I'm back from the dead with another chapter! Sorry this took forever, long story short: end of semester, travelling home, writer's block, start of summer internship, getting a beta reader!, more writers block, and finally getting motivation back and writing like a demon
> 
> So yea that's the gist of it. I want to thank my new beta reader, Mello, for helping me out and being super patient with me
> 
> Enjoy y'all

The crow of a rooster wakes Jesse up in the morning.  Since when did the Watchpoint have chickens?  The confusion fully wakes him up and that’s when he realizes he’s not at the Watchpoint anymore.  The old walls of his childhood room greet him.  It takes him back to when he was just a kid and his parents would yell at him to get downstairs for breakfast.  There’s no yells this morning, just the soft breathing of the man beside him.  Jesse settles back down into bed and wraps his arms around Hanzo ready to go back to sleep, but the rooster crows again and prevents him from drifting back into another dream.  Might as well make the most of the day. 

Jesse gently extracts himself from Hanzo, pressing a small kiss to his forehead when he grumbles at the loss of a heat source, and finds some clean clothes.  Downstairs in the kitchen he finds Isabella, Neal, Maria, Peter, Stephanie, and Robbie sipping coffee and eating pancakes.  

“ _ Buenos días, mijo. _ ”

“Mornin’, mama.  Any more of that coffee left?”

“Right here Jes,” Maria says with coffee pot in hand.  She fills a mug and hands it over to Jesse who puts some sugar in it before taking a sip.

“Mmmm, perfect.  Nothing like this back at Overwatch.  All they have is the instant stuff.”

“Pop, I’m going to go get started with the ranch hands.  I’ll see you at lunch,” Peter says.  He looks like he can’t wait to get out of the room fast enough.  He gives Stephanie a quick kiss and a ‘love you, honey’ before leaving.

“Hey, where’s Hanzo?” Robbie asks.

“Eh, he ain’t a mornin’ person.  It’ll be a lil’ while ‘til he’s up.”

“Well until then, we have some work to do,” Neal says.

“Wait, what?  Work?  I’m on vacation, pop.”

“Your last name’s McCree, ain’t it?  That means as long as you’re at McCree Ranch you have work to do.  Now come on, the fence on the south side of the property isn’t going to fix itself.”

Jesse grumbles but downs the rest of his coffee before grabbing his hat and following Neal, Maria, and Robbie outside.  Stephanie and Isabella stay inside to get breakfast ready for the rest of the family.  The four pile into one of the old trucks sitting on the property, so old it still has wheels, and set out towards the south side of the ranch.  Jesse stares out at the landscape whipping by, noticing that even though some things had changed, nothing was really all that different.  There is still that large outcropping of boulders that the cows liked to lay under in the heat and the old OR-14 unit that is half buried out in the southern field.

It takes about twenty minutes to get to the edge of the property and the sun is high in the sky when they arrive.  It takes all morning but they get the fence fixed.  They fill the work with jokes and stories and they’re done before Jesse realizes it.  Though he knows he’s going to be sore tomorrow, Jesse’s glad he did it.  For a moment he was reliving his childhood and he loved the nostalgia.  

Back at the house, everyone is up and the whole house is in motion.  This doesn’t surprise Jesse.  What does surprise him is to find all four nieces and nephews, who usually can’t sit still for more than five minutes, calmly sitting around the coffee table in the living room doing origami led by Hanzo.  He has a soft but concentrated look on his face and is patiently leading the kids through the steps to make various paper animals.  Jesse’s heart stutters at the damn near perfect sight in front of him: the man he loves looking right at home with his first family.  Before he can even really process what he’s doing, Jesse is walking over to Hanzo.  When he’s behind the seated man, he tips Hanzo’s head back and kisses him deeply.  The angle is awkward but the kiss is no less sweet.

“Hey there honeybee,” Jesse says when he finally pulls away.

“Hello there yourself.  What was that for?”

“Do I need a reason to kiss my boyfriend?”

“Not usually, but for a kiss like that I wouldn’t mind one.”

“Jus’ wanted ta tell ya I love ya.”

Hanzo gets a twinkle in his eye that Jesse knows is reserved only for him.  “I love you too,  _ anata _ , even though you made me wake up in a cold bed.”

“Well, ya could always jus’ get up with me ta solve that problem.”

Hanzo gives him a look that says ‘ _ Why would you even suggest such a thing???’ _ .

“Okay, okay, bad idea, I see that now.”  Jesse soothes his dragon with another kiss.  

“Eww, old sappy man alert!” Sofia yells from across the table.

“Shut yer trap, ya lil’ rascal.  One day you’ll wish ta be as sappy as us.”

“No I’m not!  I’m never gonna get married, just like Aunt Sarah!”

Jesse shrugs.  “Fair ‘nough.” He turns his attention back to Hanzo.  “Ya have a good morning?”

“Yes, I did.  Your nieces and nephews gave me a very comprehensive tour of the property as soon as I was done with breakfast.  Then they wanted to learn some origami when they saw the flower I made for your mother.”

“Sounds like a very productive morning.  And I gotta say, I’m impressed.  I’ve never seen those gremlins sit still fer longer than ten minutes.”

“You forget that I grew up with Genji.  He was a green haired gremlin.  They are angels compared to him.”

“Lunch is ready!” Isabella calls from the kitchen.  The kids scramble and run for the dining table.  Hanzo gets up a little slower and with a little help from Jesse.  They’re the last ones to the table and by the time they get there food is already being passed around.    Once again Jesse has to help Hanzo snag some food, though Hanzo does manage to get some on his own.

“So,” Isabella starts.  “If you boys are feeling up to it, the kids wanted to take a ride up to the river and spend the afternoon there.”

“I’d love ta go back there, I always loved that place.  Whaddya say Han?”

“Sounds pleasant.”

“ _ Bueno, bueno _ .  We’ll head out after we finish lunch.”

Everyone finishes eating and cleans up from lunch before heading out to the stables.  Hanzo is confused on why they aren’t heading for the trucks until Jesse explains that the river is in the mountains and the only way to get to it is by horseback.  Ultimately, only Isabella, Neal, Robbie, Gina, their kids, Sarah, and Stephanie decide to head out with Jesse and Hanzo.  The others are too busy or too tired (or still harboring a serious grudge against a certain cowboy) to go.  Jesse was really looking forward to spending the whole afternoon with the whole family but if there’s one thing his life has taught him is to be happy with what he has.

Jesse introduces Hanzo to his second favorite horse, a beautiful cream colored mare named Apollo, and helps him brush down and saddle her up.  Jesse does the same for his first favorite horse, a gray mare named Tombstone.  

“Need any help gettin’ up, cupcake?” Jesse asks as he slides up behind Hanzo.

“Hmmm, it has been a couple years since I last rode anything.”

“Really? Ya sure? ‘Cuz I remember a certain night a couple weeks ago where-”

“It has been a couple years since I last rode a horse,” Hanzo quickly corrects before his face could heat up anymore.  Jesse makes sure to press in a little closer.

“Well still, why don’t I give ya a boost up.”

Turns out Hanzo doesn’t need help, he remembers how to get on a horse just fine.  Doesn’t stop Jesse from getting just a little too handsy.  Hanzo pulls himself up and Jesse has to take a moment.  Damn, does he look good up there.  Jesse says just that and watches Hanzo preen.  The others mount up, the younger kids climbing up with their parents, and before long they’re riding out to the east side of the property and the mountains nestled right up next to it.  

Jesse can’t help to stare and grin at the look on Hanzo’s face.  Yea, the desert valley is pretty, especially during this time of year, but the mountains are something else.  The grass grows a little thicker here and the trees take on magnificent shades of green.  The wildlife makes itself knows through constant, but distant, sounds of flapping wings and rustling bushes.  Even the air up here smells and tastes cleaner.  For the first –and probably only- time all week, Jesse is glad he hasn’t been smoking his cigarillos.  He can actually appreciate the freshness of the outdoors.  

And it looks like Hanzo is thinking the same thing.  His expression is mostly hidden behind a moderate smile but Jesse can see how his eyes dart around, taking in everything, and slowly get bigger and bigger with amazement.  He catches Jesse staring with that dopey look on his face, and instead of turning away, slightly embarrassed (those days are long gone), his smile widens and his face softens up with happiness.

It takes them about an hour to make it to the river and it’s just as beautiful as Jesse remembers.  He dismounts his horse and takes a minute to appreciate the sight.  He feels Hanzo step up next to him.

“It is quite beautiful.”

“Yea, it is.”

But true to form, Jesse doesn’t let the moment stretch on too long.  He spots Sarah standing a little too close to the river bank and a mischievous smile crosses his face.

“Jesse, no,” Hanzo says as he recognizes the look.

“Jesse, yes.”

Jesse creeps up behind Sarah ready to wreak havoc.  Sofia and Thomas see him and quickly realize what he’s up to.  Their giggling gives him away but by the time Sarah notices Jesse’s already picking her up and throwing her into the water.  The moment before she hits the water her face morphs into a look of pure betrayal and Jesse loses it.  He falls to the ground laughing and Sarah resurfaces, sputtering and looking like a drowned cat.  

“Jesse Emmanuel McCree!  You rotten, knockoff, cowboy!” She yells as she spits out water.

“Oh my god!  You should have seen yer face!  That was priceless!”  

My face?  Let’s see how your face looks when I get my revenge!”  She motions to someone behind Jesse and that gets his attention.

“Yer what?” 

Too quickly Jesse feels himself being lifted off the ground and thrown into the river himself.  His reflexes are quick enough to grab onto his hat and hold it on his head before he hits the cold water.  When he comes back up, sputtering for breath, he sees Robbie bowed over laughing, supporting himself with a hand on Hanzo’s shoulder, who’s hiding a smaller laugh behind his own hand.  

“I can’t believe it.  Betrayed by my own brother and the love of my life.”

“Stop being so dramatic Jes,” Sarah says as she steals his hat and dunks him under the water again.  Jesse comes back up sputtering and reaching for his hat.  This gets Hanzo to outright laugh.  Jesse gets a dangerous look in his eye and walks out of the water towards him.  Hanzo freezes and starts backing up.

“No, Jesse, do not.”

Jesse picks up his pace and runs right at Hanzo who tries to run but isn’t quick enough.  The water soaks through the flannel Hanzo stole from Jesse that morning and the t-shirt with Lucio’s logo that he’s wearing underneath.  Jesse throws Hanzo over his shoulder and walks back to the river.

“Jesse Emmanuel McCree, do not take another step!  I will make you regret this for the rest of your days!  Do not forget what I used to do for a living.”

“Aw sweet pea, you wouldn’t hurt lil’ ol’ me.”  His voice drops to a whisper only Hanzo can hear, “Not unless I ask for it.”

Hanzo doesn’t get a chance to retort before Jesse’s jumping into the water.  Hanzo comes back up looking worse than Jesse.  Sputtering, hair plastered to his face, shirt clinging tightly to every muscle…  He looks like a vision to Jesse.  A vision that’s interrupted by Sofia jumping in the water and splashing everyone.  It turns into a full out water war after that.  Robbie jumps in with his sons followed shortly by Gina.  Splashing turns into chicken fights which are ruled by the unbeatable Sofia-Hanzo combo.

After a couple hours the adults are worn out and slowly make their way out of the water.  Gina and Robbie just haul themselves onto the riverbank and keep a close eye on their kids.  Jesse and Hanzo decide to get out of their wet clothes and try to dry off a little.  Jesse climbs out of the river trying to remember the last time he had this much fun.  Stephanie stops him before he gets very far with a gentle touch to his shoulder.

“Can I talk to you, Jesse?”

“Yea, sure.  What’s up?”

Stephanie walks him over to a little more secluded area away from the others.  She fidgets with her hands nervously while she tries to find her words.

“Look, I just want to apologize for Peter’s behavior at dinner last night.”

“Steph, you ain’t gotta apologize fer nothin’.  What’s going on between me an’ Peter is between only us, and it’s somethin’ we gotta work out on our own.  It’s gonna take some time, and I really hope we can, but you’ve done nonthin’ wrong.”

“Thank you, Jesse.  And I really hope you two can work it out.  Brothers shouldn’t fight like this.”

“I know, I’ve got plenty of experience with brotherly fights,” Jesse says, glancing over at Hanzo.

Stephanie gives Jesse a quick hug then rejoins the others.  Jesse walks over to Hanzo, who got stuck trying to take his drying shirt off.  

“Jesse, help,” Hanzo says with a defeated look.

“Aww, the great Hanzo Shimada, taken down by a wet t-shirt.”

“Do not patronize me,” he says with a pout.

“Wouldn’t dream of it, sugar plum.”

Jesse helps Hanzo peel out of the too tight shirt, laughing the whole time.  Jesse’s shirt gets lost next and both are laid out to dry.  Hands grab Jesse’s hips and Hanzo sidles up to him, chest to chest.  He looks up and smiles.

“ _ Koibito _ , you are beautiful.”

“Aw shucks, that word’s only fer you honey.”

“No, you are beautiful and I will not let you think otherwise.”

Jesse wraps his arms around Hanzo and pulls him even closer.  

“ _ Aisheteru _ ,” he whispers against the smaller man’s mouth.

“ _ Te amo _ ,” Hanzo whispers back before he closes the distance.  When he pulls back, neither can help but smile.  “Let us get back to your family.”

The two head back to the others, joined at the hip, eyes only on each other.  

A sharp gasp makes both of them look up.  Isabella looks at them with a shocked look on her face, hand covering her open mouth.

“Dios mio, mijo.”

“What mama?”  Jesse looks down, looks back up, looks down again, and- oh, right.  Scars.  Not everyone has nearly as many scars as they do.  Isabella walks over to Jesse in shock, her hands ghost over his scars hovering a bit longer over the crisscrossing mess above his prosthetic and his newest one on his chest.

“Ay, mijo.  Look what’s happened to you.  And you!”  she says as she looks over Hanzo’s scars as well, grimacing even more as she notices the brand on his right shoulder.

“Mamá I’m okay.”

“But look at all the times you almost weren’t!  How many times you almost didn’t come home.  How many times have you almost died for this- this job?”

“Look, savin’ the world ain’t easy, it has a cost.  But I’ll gladly pay that cost if it means keepin’ the ones I care about safe.”

“But who will keep you safe?”

Hanzo steps forward and lays a gentle hand on Isabella’s shoulder.  “That is my job, Misses McCree.  It will be a- how do you say it- cold day in hell before I let anything happen to our Jesse.

Jesse’s heard Hanzo say those words before many times, but he’s still stunned by his sincerity and the fact that he has people in his life who care so much about him.  Hanzo looks up at him with a smile that only reaffirms his words and Jesse can’t figure out how he got so lucky.  Isabella pulls both of them into a tight hug like she’s afraid that they’ll slip between her fingers if she doesn’t hold on tight enough. 

When she finally pulls back Isabella has a tentative smile on her face and she attempts to wipe away the tears that started to fall.

“Don’tchu worry mamá, we’re good at what we do.  It’s going to take a lot to keep me from coming back home.”

“I’m your mother, Jesse.  I am always going to worry,” she says as she cradles Jesse’s face in her hands.

One more quick hug then all three of them are rejoining the others.  The kids become enamored with Hanzo’s winding tattoo now that they can see the whole thing as well as the small Deadeye skull on the back of his other shoulder that he got when he lost a drunken bet about a year ago.  Jesse has a complimentary one an arrow across his ribs that he got when he lost the same bet.  He can tell Neal isn’t happy about the tattoos, the arrow or the Blackwatch logo on the outside of his right shoulder, but at the same time relieved to not see a Deadlock one like he was surely expecting.  Jesse doesn’t have the heart to tell his dad that that particular tattoo got blown off with the rest of his arm.

The group stays out there all afternoon, only packing up and leaving when the sun dips dangerously low in the sky.  They make it back to the ranch right after the sun sets underneath the desert plains.  After some quick showers, well as fast as they can be when Hanzo and Jesse get distracted during theirs, they find out that those that didn’t go out that afternoon already have dinner made and on the table, a blessing for all the hungry travelers.

After dinner Jesse starts regaling everyone with tales from his Blackwatch days (the declassified ones at least).

“So there I was, running down the hallway, top secret documents in hand, and guards chasing after me. Almost tripped ‘bout 5 times, probably ‘cuz of the six martinis I had earlier-”

“Martinis?  Seriously?”

“Hey, those things are mighty tasty and some’a them can pack a punch.  Seriously, never order a Manhattan unless ya wanna wake up next morning with no memories an’ a unspecific sense of guilt.  Anyways, somehow I made it all’a way back ta the ballroom where I knew Reyes was.  I get there, find Reyes, then realize that I still didn’t have a plan ta get rid’a the guards, so I did the first thing I could think of.  I pulled Reyes to the middle of the dance floor and started waltzin’ with ‘im.  Thank God Reyes actually tolerated me by then ‘cuz if he didn’t I’m sure he would have killed me himself after that stunt.  In the end it was worth it ‘cuz I managed not to blow our cover and we got the documents out without any more trouble.”

“You know, as ridiculous as that sounded, I believe all of that,” Mariá says with an incredulous look on her face.  “Except for one thing, you can’t dance Jes.”

“Uh, yea I can.”

“No you can’t.  I remember when mamá tried to teach you how to dance when we were younger; you had two left feet!”

“Yea, well, I learned.  Do ya need me ta prove it ta ya?”

“Sure, I love watching you make a fool of yourself.  Just let me get my phone out first, I want to record this disaster.”

Jesse stands up with a huff.  “Mamá, cue the music.”  He then extends his hand out.  “Hanzo, may I have this dance?”

Hanzo accepts his hand and let’s himself get pulled up.  Isabella turns on an old radio and the notes of an easy waltz fill the air.  The two start moving around the room in an easy pattern, easily stepping around each other in a trust that’s only born on the battlefield.  As the song winds down Jesse can’t help but smile and nuzzle into his partner’s neck.  Clapping drags his head back up and he sees impressed looks on everyone’s faces.  

“Well color me impressed, son.  Looks like you’ve got some tricks up your sleeve,” says Neal.

“Yea I’ve picked up a couple things here an’ there.  You’d be surprised what I’ve had ta learn for a mission.”

“Neal, honey.  How long has it been since we danced?” Isabella asks.

Neal smiles and stands up.  “Far too long my dear.”

Isabella stands up and joins her husband in the middle of the room while Jesse and Hanzo sit back down.  An upbeat song starts to play and the elderly couple starts gliding across the room with the rhythm.  Everyone is enchanted watching them dance and all too soon the song ends.  But the night doesn’t.  Jesse pulls Hanzo up again and swings him around in another dance.  More family members join them and soon everyone is dancing.  Even Peter, who was somehow convinced by Stephanie you join in.

When the dance floor starts to become a little crowded, Jesse and Hanzo happily sit back down and watch everyone else enjoy themselves.  After a while Hanzo disentangles himself from Jesse’s side and stands up.

“My apologies, I forgot that I promised to call my brother tonight and let him know that Jesse actually did grow up on a farm.  If you would excuse me,” he says with a small bow.

“Oh don’t apologize dear, we understand.”  Isabella says while she stands and hugs Hanzo.  He stiffens for a split second before relaxing into the touch and awkwardly returning the hug.  “You let your brother know that my son is no lier and we will see you into the morning.   _ Buenas noches _ .”

“ _ I will wait up for you in your room.  I love you.”  _ Hanzo tells Jesse in Japanese with a quick kiss to the head.

“ _ Love you too.”   _ He says back before Hanzo leaves.  Jesse can’t help but watch him walk out of the room with a fond look on his face.  When he finally starts paying attention again he finds his whole family staring at him.

“You speak Japanese?” his dad asks.

“Well I ain’t fluent but I’m getting my way around it.”

“Wow,” says Sarah, “You can dance, you speak another language, and you’ve managed to get one hell of a guy wrapped around your finger.  A lot has changed for you over the years.”

The night carries on but Jesse’s throat seizes.  A lot has changed over the years, and his family wasn’t there to see those changes.  How many changes in his family had he missed because he was off getting into trouble and running around the world?  How many family events had he missed because he was a criminal?

A serious feeling of melancholy overcomes him and puts him in a sour mood.  He tries to get back in the spirit of the evening, for his family, but he just can’t do it.  It isn’t too much longer before Jesse gets up to leave with a half-assed excuse.

“Are you okay  _ mijo _ ?” asks Isabella.

“Yea, I’m fine mamá.  I’m jus’ tired.  I’ll see ya in the mornin’.  I love ya.”

A chorus of ‘goodnights’ follow Jesse up the stairs.  In his room he finds Hanzo sitting on the bed talking on his communicator.  He’s rubbing his temples in that tell-tale sign that he has a head ache.  Udon and Soba are drifting around the room playing with each other and an old stuffed animal they found.  When Jesse walks in Hanzo gives him a small smile before returning to his call.

“ _ -I will talk to you later brother.  Goodbye. _ ”

Hanzo hangs up the communicator and fully turns to Jesse.  

“Hey sweetheart, you okay?” Jesse asks.  He sits down on the bed next to Hanzo and starts rubbing his back.

Hanzo looks at him with a slightly exasperated, but fond, look.  “You worry too much, my love.”

“I know, I jus’ want ya ta be comfortable.”

“And I am.  Your family is very nice, but very exhausting and we had a long day.  I am just a little tired.  Genji says hello by the way.”

“Nice of him to remember his best friend.”

“… Are you okay?”

“What? Oh yea, I’m good sweetheart.”

“Jesse.”  Hanzo of course can see right through him.

Jesse starts wringing his hands and looks down at his feet.  “… I jus’ keep getting’ reminded ‘bout how much I’ve missed with ‘em all ‘cuz I was a stupid, selfish kid who thought he would get more attention and respect in a gang.  All that did was make me a criminal and a murderer before I was even an adult.”

“It also made you a hero, or have you forgotten all of the good work you have done with Overwatch?”

“Yea, but that don’t erase my past and what I’ve done.  I still ran out on ‘em and broke their hearts –something some of ‘em still hate me fer.”

“Nothing will erase your past, just like nothing will erase mine; all we can do is work to atone for our pasts.  You told me that.  And if my brother can find it in him to forgive me, your family will too.  It will just take time.”

Jesse doesn’t respond and keeps his eyes downcast.  After a moment he feels the bed shit under him.  He looks up and see’s Hanzo has scooted back against the headboard and is motioning for Jesse to join him.  Jesse crawls over and lays face down between his legs, head pillowed on his stomach.  He feels Hanzo wrap his arms around him and the dragons settle on his back.  The silence that falls is comforting, the embrace even more so.  It doesn’t take long before both men fall asleep.

When Jesse wakes up later that night from a mild nightmare, it doesn’t surprise him.  It wasn’t as bad as his usual ones but the fading images still leaves him rattled.  The soft blue glow of the dragons in front and behind him and pressure around his middle help slow his breathing and calm his heart rate.  At some point he and Hanzo had shifted so they were on their sides with Hanzo curled around his back.  Now Hanzo stirs slightly and readjusts his grip around Jesse’s waist.  Once Jesse has calmed down and is sure he won’t wake any of the three dragons in his bed, he settles himself back onto the bed and back against Hanzo.  The rhythmic breathing and steady heartbeat lull him back to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To all of you still reading this, thank you for being so patient with me, life gets busy and the motivation to write comes and goes. But good news! (or bad, depending on how you look at it) this is the halfway point in the story
> 
> Thanks again to my beta, Mello!
> 
> As always, thanks for reading and please, tell me what you like about this! (comments really do fuel my motivation)

That damn rooster wakes Jesse up again the next morning, and again Hanzo sleeps through the racket.  Jesse is a little jealous but also very glad that Hanzo is getting this much sleep.  It looks like this vacation has been good for him so far.  Jesse gets up and goes about getting dressed, he nearly has a heart attack when Soba pops out of the sock drawer and scares him half to death but otherwise makes it out of the room without any other incident.

Downstairs, Maria, munching on a bagel, is the only one in the kitchen.  Jesse makes a cup of coffee and grabs his own bagel before asking Maria where everyone is.

“There was some emergency with the cows early this morning.  Mamá, Dad, Peter, and Steph all headed out already to fix the problem but they could still use your help.  Dad told me to tell you to head out they as soon as you can.”

“Alright.  Lemme jus’ finish my cup here first.”

“Yea, looks like you need it.  What, did you and Hanzo stay up too late last night?” she says with a suggestive wink and smirk.

“What, no.  I jus’ didn’t sleep the best last night.”

“Oh, was it the bed?  I remember that one was always a little uncomfortable, it’s why I made dad switch it with the one in the guest room.  We can find you guys a different one if you need it.”

“Nah, it ain’t the bed.  I’m fine, don’t worry ‘bout it.”

Maria stares at him, unconvinced.  “Jes, don’t lie to me.  You know that doesn’t work.”

Jesse sighs because she’s right.  He’s never been able to get one over her.  “Fine, let’s jus’ say that workin’ for Overwatch ain’t all sunshine and rainbows.  Some stuff stays with ya.  Losin’ a little sleep ain’t nothin’ new fer me.”

“Do you need help?” Maria asks in a soft tone.

“I got help,” he says almost defensively, though it bleeds out of his tone immediately.  “My friends help, Hanners helps.  Look, jus’ don’t tell mamá and dad.  I don’t want them ta worry.”

“Okay, if that’s what you want.”

The kitchen goes silent again while the two siblings work on their breakfasts.  But Maria was never one to let a silence go on too long.

“Does it hurt?” she asks, startling Jesse.

“Does what hurt?”

“Your arm.  You had it last time you came to my house but I was too afraid to ask about it.”

“Sometimes, phantom limb and all that.  The neural connections are also a real bitch anytime I have to take it off, but I’m used to it by now.”

“You know, you never told me how you lost it.”

“Haven’t told anyone, ‘cept for Han and a couple people on base.”

“Will you tell me?”

Jesse pauses and considers what he wants to say.  “No, not right now at least.  Not over breakfast and with absolutely no alcohol in my veins.”

Maria nods in understanding then switches to lighter conversation topics while they finish their breakfast.  Jesse pulls out a mug and some of the tea he had Isabella buy before they got here and leaves it out with a note for Hanzo to find when he gets up before heading out to help to others with the cows.  

Turns out someone had broken a fence and scared the cows last night and a couple of them got out.  Stephanie and Isabella hopped on some horses earlier to go find the missing cows while Neal and Peter started working on the fence.  Jesse joins them once he arrives and tries to ignore the tension between him and Peter. 

They finish quicker than expected and get back to the house just in time for Jesse to see Hanzo walk down stairs, rubbing his eyes and hair still sleep-mussed.

“Mornin’ there, honeybun,” he says with a kiss to the temple.

Hanzo grumbles a ‘good morning’ back and heads straight for the kitchen.  Jesse hands Hanzo the mug and tea he left out earlier and lets him make it how he likes.  Jesse sits on the couch and tugs his boots off his aching feet.  He’s going to need to get a new pair soon; these are getting too thin and unsupportive.  Hanzo joins him a couple minutes later with a steaming cup.  Jesse steals a sip, burning his tongue on the still too hot liquid, before throwing his arm around Hanzo and pulling him flush against his side.  Hanzo gladly snuggles in and continues to wake up.

“Hey, doll, when yer a little more awake I wanna show you somethin’ that I’m sure the kids didn’t show ya yesterday.” Jesse murmurs into Hanzo’s hair.

“Alright, I will need just a few more minutes to function properly.”

“Take all the time you need, angel.”

It’s takes a little longer than a couple minutes for Hanzo to deem himself awake (he blames Jesse for being too comfortable) but they eventually make it outside.  Jesse laces his fingers with Hanzo’s without hesitation and pulls him into the big red barn on the west side of the property.  Despite Hanzo’s best efforts, Jesse still sees him sneak Apollo an apple when they pass by her stall.  Jesse climbs up the ladder to the second floor of the barn.  

“What are we doing up here Jesse?”

“Told ya, wanted ta show ya something’.”

“You wanted to show me bales of hay and old pre-crisis farming equipment?”

Jesse chuckles.  “Nah, just come over here and help me move these bales of hay.”

Hanzo rolls his eyes but helps Jesse move the hay, only to reveal… a wall?

“Ah, my mistake.  You wanted to show me a wall.”

Jesse laughs.  “Hey, don’t you sass me.  If ya were payin’ attention, you would realize that we ain’t at the very front of the barn.”  Jesse knocks on the wood and listens for the pitch change.  When he finds it he presses on the plank of wood right above it and a section of the wall clicks open.  “When I was jus’ a tike, there was a movie that had a secret passage hidden in the wall.  After I watched it I begged Dad to build me one, so we looked up designs on the internet then came up here to build it.”  Jesse pushes the wall open further and reveals a ladder heading up into the rafters.

“So where does this secret passage of yours lead?”

“Follow me.”  Jesse climbs up the short ladder and pushes open the trapdoor at the top.  He smiles when he sees the little loft.  There’s a little window in the corner that lets in light and illuminates the cobwebs and dust, but not a thing’s been moved.  Bean bag chair, rug on the floor, a couple of soda cans and candy wrappers piled in the corner.  It looks exactly how he left it.  

“Sorry ‘bout the mess,” he tells Hanzo as he helps pull him into the room.  

“It is… very small.”

That’s true.  It was built for a 10 year old, not two fully grown men.  They barely have enough room to sit up straight, let alone stand up.

“I made my dad promise not ta tell my siblin’s about this, I wanted it ta be our secret.  Looks like he kept that promise.”

“Another one of Jesse McCree’s secrets.”

“Hey, don’t say that like it’s a bad thing.”

“I am not, I like some of your secrets.”  Hanzo leans in close to Jesse and starts whispering in his ear, “Particularly the one where under that hardened, lonesome, desert-coyote-exterior, you are actually a very kind and loving man.”  

“Aw shucks, Darlin’.”

“Tell me more of your secrets, coyote.”

“I hate cherries.  I thought my eighth grade science teacher was hot.  I love cowboys but am findin’ myself more partial to samurai lately.  I’m in love with an actual angel if I ever did see one.”

Hanzo pulls back just enough to look Jesse in the eye.  “I hope that last one isn’t a secret.”

“Oh honey, I’d shout it from the roof tops if ya’d want me to.”

“Good answer, because I am in love with the most handsome cowboy I have ever met,” Hanzo murmurs against his lips.

“And who might that be?  Do I need to fight them off for your affections?”

“Silly cowboy.”   Hanzo closes the last little gap between them.  They keep it light and sweet, never kissing for more than a couple seconds before pulling back and starting again.  That is, until Hanzo starts sneezing, loudly.

“It’s too  _ –achoo-  _ dusty up here.”

“I hear ya.  Let’s get out’a here.”

Jesse sends Hanzo down first and climbs down as soon as the ladder is clear.  They close the hidden panel and move the hay bales back in front of it then walk back outside hand-in-hand.  They spend the rest of the morning wandering around the property, saying hello to the farmhands, feeding treats to the horses and other animals, and just wasting time.

Around lunch time, Tina finds them sitting on the porch and tells them it’s time for lunch.  They follow her back inside with some reluctance, not ready for their quiet morning to be over yet.  The food, as always, is amazing and Jesse gets so caught up in the flavors he almost forgets that he has a question to ask.

“Hey pop,” Jesse says.  “Unless ya need some more help on the farm, I was hoping ta take Han into the city and show him around.”

“Are you sure that’s wise, son?  I mean, we’ve seen the posters, which means others have too and that’s a lot of zeros.”

“Eh, believe it or not, I do know how ta blend in.  Workin’ for an illegal organization teaches ya how ta do that.”

Neal and Isabella share a nervous look.  Understandable since they just got their son back.

“We’ll be safe, cross my heart.  We won’t even get out’a the car if that makes ya feel better.” Jesse reassures them.

“If you’re sure,  _ mijo _ .”

Jesse and Hanzo finish up their lunch, and hop into one of the old trucks sitting outside.  Despite the years, Jesse easily remembers the way back into town.  It helps that for most of the way there’s only one road to drive down to get to Santa Fe proper.  Out of the corner of his eye he sees Hanzo staring out at the landscape.  The mountains to the east and the planes to the west create a beautiful sight that’s hard for Jesse to ignore even after all these years.  Wordlessly, Jesse reaches across the center console and intertwines his fingers with Hanzo.  Hanzo returns the gesture, until the heat makes his hand too sweaty and he pulls away with a disgusted face.  Jesse just laughs and focuses on the road again.

It doesn’t take them too long to reach the city limits.  Though, Santa Fe is more of a town now than a city thanks to the Crisis.  The whole southwest was hit pretty hard and a lot of people moved away as a result.  Only the most stubborn families stayed and the most nostalgic returned.

Jesse slows down once the familiar buildings come into view.

“Jus’ like I remember, not a thing’s changed.  There! There’s the elementary school me an’ all my siblin’s went ta.  I’m sure we were a terror that year all five of us were there.  And there’s the grocery store I smoked my first cigarette with Ben Kennedy behind.”

“Ah, so that is who started you on that filthy habit.  Tell me, does he still live in the area?  I have some choice words for him.”

“Ah yer a hoot, sweetie.”

“I am completely serious,” Hanzo deadpans.

Jesse laughs and continues driving down the road.  They slowly drive through the town together while Jesse points out all the sights.  He shows Hanzo the old rec center and the park full of broken down bastion and OR-13 units he used to climb all over.  They pass by the high school he went to before he dropped out and the bar he and his friends used to sneak into with their fake ID’s.  

True to their word, Jesse and Hanzo stay out of sight and manage to drive around completely unnoticed.  Eventually they start to make their way back towards the road out of town but not before Jesse pulls over in front of an old dinner and tells Hanzo to come inside with him.    

“Jesse, what are we doing in here?  We promised your family that we would not get out of the car.”

“I know, I know.  I jus’ wanna show ya somethin’.”

Jesse drags Hanzo over to an old jukebox in the back of the diner.  

“One of my best memories I have in this place involves this old thing right here.  I must’a been in middle school when Danny Cavero an’ I decided ta come in here and play an ol’ school prank on everyone in here that day.  We scrounged up all the quarters we had an’ punched in twenty-one plays of that really old song ‘What’s New Pussycat’ and one play of ‘It’s not Unusual’ in the middle.  We watched everyone in the diner slowly lose their minds from that booth over there.”

“That sounds like torture, not a prank.”

“Maybe, but we were lil’ shits back then an’ thought it was the funniest thing in our lives.  Before we left we put in one more play of ‘It’s not Unusual’ an’ I kissed him right here in this very spot.  That was my first kiss.”

“So that is why you brought me in here, to try and make me jealous.”

Jesse laughs.  “Nah, pumpkin.  I brought ya in here ‘cuz now I have the last man I ever wanna kiss standin’ in front’a me and I plan on re-christenin’ this spot.”

Hanzo hums non-committedly but rises onto his tip toes anyways.  Jesse leans down and meets him halfway.

“Too bad we do not have any change.  Then we could have made this experience an authentic re-enactment,” Hanzo says when rocks back down.

“Oh well, I guess we’ll jus’ spare the minds of everyone here instead.”

Hanzo laughs softly and pulls Jesse back to the front door.  “It is getting late.  We should head back now.”

“Right behind ya, cupcake.”

When they get back to the ranch, Jesse plans of giving Hanzo a grand tour of the property like he should have done earlier but Robbie’s oldest kid, Sofia, is waving to them and motioning to come around the back of the house.  Hanzo looks at him quizzically but Jesse just shrugs.  They climb out of the car and follow Sofia over to one of the barns.  Jesse makes sure Hanzo sticks close so he doesn’t get completely lost.  

When they finally catch up with Sofia they see that someone has set up a makeshift shooting range with bales of hay, old tarps, and a couple of cans of spray paint.  Sofia joins her brothers in climbing all over the hay bales while Jesse and Hanzo walk over to where the whole family, with the exception of Neal, Cheyenne, and Tina, is standing.

“There you guys are,” Maria calls out.  “Was wondering how long you two were going to be out.  Thought you guys might have run into some trouble.”

“Nah, we stayed out’a sight like I promised ma; not one person recognized me,” Jesse reassures his brother.

“What is all of this?” Hanzo asks over by the makeshift targets.

“Well, you remember that Jesse told us the other night about how you two have shooting competitions all the time and I wanted to see how good a shot you both actually are.  So Maria and Sarah helped me set this up,” Robbie explains.  

Jesse smiles, he’s always excited for a chance to show off a little.  “Well, I’d be happy ta prove that I’m the best shot in the Southwest.”

“Best shot?  Those are some tall words big bro,” Sarah says.

“Tall words I’m ready ta defend.  Whaddya say Han, wanna show off a lil’?”

Hanzo smirks.  “I would not be opposed to a little practice.”

Hanzo goes and grabs their weapons from the truck while Jesse runs to their room to grab some extra ammo.  When they get back they see Isabella holding an old hunting rifle and Peter checking over a handgun.  

“What?” Isabella says when she sees Jesse’s questioning look.  “You two don’t get to have all the fun.  Don’t forget that your father and I were the ones who taught you how to shoot.”

After clearing the kids off of the targets, Jesse and Hanzo take their spots on the other side of the temporary shooting range.  It’s not nearly as fancy as what they’re used to but they both know you don’t always need fancy.

Hanzo shoots first, going completely still for a second before firing off three arrows in a row directly into three bullseyes.  Maria and Robbie let out impressed whistles.  Even Peter seems mildly impressed. 

Jesse focuses on the targets and unloads all six shots into the six remaining targets.  Five of them hit center, the last one just barely outside the center ring.  Hanzo fires three more times, hitting the bullseye Jesse missed and two more, before smirking up at him.

“Whadda lookin’ so smug for?  It was only one target.”

“Yes, but I still outshot you, again.  I win.”

“Didn’t realized we were playin’ for keeps this time.  Whaddya want fer yer win?”

Hanzo looked up at Jesse with hooded eyes (Jesse always loved those types of wagers), but before he could answer Jesse nearly gets tackled to the ground by an over enthusiastic Sarah.

“Damn Jes!  That was impressive.  I guess you can live up to those big words.  And you, Hanzo, I almost didn’t believe it when you said that you use a bow but that was amazing!  You give even Jesse a run for his money.”

“Someone has to keep this cowman’s ego in check,” Hanzo says with a smirk.

“Yes, yes, very good, but time to show you how we old folks do it,” Isabella says as she steps up to the firing line.  Her shooting is not as accurate at Hanzo’s and Jesse’s but it’s close.  

All the adults continue taking turns shooting and showing off their skills.  Hanzo shows off his specialty arrows and Jesse proves he’s not only good with a revolver.  They even let Sofia practice with the handgun for a little while and prove that good aim is a McCree family trait.

The fun goes on until Neal pokes his head out of the house and tells them dinner is ready.  Everyone helps clean up the hay bales then washes up and sit down at the dining table.  The room is relatively quiet for a moment while the Spanish speakers say grace, then the noise level rises back to normal levels.  Dinner is amazing, as always, and Jesse tells himself to get the recipe from his mom so he can make it back at the Watchpoint.  

Conversation during dinner is slightly less awkward than previous nights.  There’re no heated glares from across tables from a certain brother but there are scathing quips interspersed throughout the night.  Still they make it through the meal without incident and afterwards Jesse helps his sister clean up the dishes. 

With dinner cleaned up and dishes put away, everyone decides to have a relaxing night in.  Popcorn, movies, and a night on a couch beckon them all to the living room.  That’s where Jesse finds out Hanzo hasn’t seen a certain classic trilogy. 

“Ya haven’t seen Lord of the Rings?  Seriously?”

“Jesse, I thought we have already established that I did not have a childhood conducive to watching classic movies.”

“I know, I know.  It’s just, it’s Lord of the Rings, babe!”

“Well then, I believe that settles what we’re watching tonight,” Isabella says.  She finds the movie and pops it into to player before joining her husband on one of the couches.  Jesse takes his seat next to Hanzo and pulls him close until he’s practically in his lap.  The movie starts and the chatter quiets down as everyone enjoys the movie.  That is until Legolas appears on screen.

“Hey honey,” Jesse whispers, nudging Hanzo and waking him from his half-asleep nap.  “That’s you.”

“Just because he is an archer does not make him like me,” Hanzo says as he nestles back into Jesse’s side.

“Yea but he’s also gorgeous and a prince, just like you.” 

Hanzo buries his face into Jesse’s arm to hide the blush that’s forming on his cheeks. 

“Oh my god,” Maria finally pipes up.  “Can you two stop being so disgustingly sweet for like two seconds.  I’m trying to watch a movie here.”

“Oh like you haven’t been whisperin’ to Cheyenne this whole time too, ya damn hypocrite,” Jesse retorts.  A chorus of ‘shh’s’ stop their bickering before it can go any farther.

Jesse settles back into the couch and wraps his arm around Hanzo again. 

_ ‘It really doesn’t get better than this’  _ he thinks.  Back in his childhood home, enjoying a quiet night in with his boyfriend, surrounded by his family.  It’s everything Jesse could have dreamed for and because of that, he’s helpless to stop the grin that spreads across his face.

When the familiar blue glow of the dragons appears Jesse thinks nothing of it.  Until he remembers where they are and who they’re with.  He tries to warn Hanzo but it’s too late, Soba and Udon are already crawling off the couch and across the floor.  Two seconds later Sarah lets out an ear piercing scream which makes everyone jump and start freaking out as well when they see what she’s pointing at.

“S-snakes!” she stammers out.  Needless to say the peacefully night erupts into chaos. 

Peter disappears and reappears in the blink of an eye with a broom ready to use it as a weapon.  The kids scramble off the floor and onto the couches with high pitched screeches of their own.  Robbie and Maria start throwing pillows at the dragons in a panic.  Soba curls itself into a tight ball looking more like a scared kitten than a fearsome spirit of destruction while Udon starts snapping and hissing and growing in size to match it’s temper.

“Guys! Guys!  Stop throwin’ things for two seconds and please put the broom down.  They ain’t snakes,” Jesse pleads uselessly.

“Soba!  Udon!” Hanzo snaps followed by a few words in japanese.  The dragons imidiately dart to the safety of the hood and pocket of the hoodie Hanzo stole from Jesse earlier in the evening.

“Everyone calm down!  Please!”  Jesse yells over the racket.  It’s the same tone he uses on the battle field and the authority it carries makes everyone freeze.

“Jesse, what the hell are those things?” Robbie demands.

“Well uhh, short answer: dragons and they’re completely harmless, for the most part.  Long answer: that’s more Hanzo’s expertise.”

“Dragons,” Neal says in disbelief.  “Actually, real life, livin’ an’ breathin’ dragons.”

“Well, not breathing,” Hanzo says.  “And not living in the sense that they are spirits but yes very much real.”

Everyone stares at the two Overwatch agents like they’re crazy.  Soba pops its head out from the hood, checks that the coast is clear, then flies over to Jesse to wrap around his neck and tuck its head under his chin. 

“Jesse, how are you not freaking out right now?”  Gina asks.

“’Cuz they ain’t dangerous, at least not ta you guys.”

“Yes, they only attack our enemies and only when I will it.  I assure you they will not harm you.”  Hanzo assures everyone.

Sarah barks out a nervous laugh.  “Those little things?  They can actually hurt someone?”

“Well they are much larger when I use them for that purpose.”

“And you’re sure they won’t hurt us right now?”

“Yes, now or ever.  I promise you this.  And anyways, when they are in this form they act more like spoiled cats than anything else.”  Hanzo says as he pulls out Udon from his pocket. 

Little Joel is the first one to be brave and walks over to Hanzo to get a better look at Udon.  Hanzo squats down and holds out Udon.  The dragon wraps around his hand and arm and chitters defensively but holds still for Joel to inspect it.  The toddler reaches out with his chubby hand to pet Udon and giggles when Udon sniffs and licks his fingers.  Sofia and Thomas make their way over to and Jesse unwraps Soba from his shoulders to let the kids meet it.  Soba, always the more adventurous one than Udon, glides around Sofia’s and Thomas’s head, sniffing and licking their faces in greeting. 

With the kids approval comes everyone else’s relaxing.  They slowly make their way back to their original seats on the couches and watch the dragons glide and crawl around the room with amazement in their eyes.

“They’ve been wantin’ to do this since the first day we got here, explore and meet all y’all,” Jesse says.

“Spoiled and impatient little lizards,” Hanzo grumbles.

“They really are adorable,” Sarah says as Soba floats up to investigate her.  She quickly passes inspection when she starts scratching its head much to Soba’s delight.  “Exactly like a cat.”

The dragons finish making their rounds and finally settle down; Udon decides to lie between Hanzo and Jesse while Soba decides that Sofia and Thomas give the best scritches and lays down with them.  Neal rewinds the movie to where it was before the whole incident and the rest of the evening passes without incident. 

Two movies and almost six hours later everyone calls it quits for the night.  Sofia tries to take Soba to bed with her but Soba escapes her hold and joins it’s sibling on the couch.  Jesse and Hanzo enjoy the quiet for a couple minutes until they both nearly fall asleep on the couch.  A quick look between them and they both agree that sleeping on a bed is much more comfortable than a couch.  Hanzo tucks his dragons into pocket of his hoodie then grabs Jesse’s hand and pulls him upstairs, ready to fall asleep in the arms of his cowboy again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> listen,,,,, i had to make a reference to what is possible one of the greatest jokes of all time


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember that angst tag i used? Neither do i 
> 
> Thank again Mello for beta reading this and again thank you guys for sticking with me and this story

Four days back and Jesse wants to kill that damn rooster.  He forgot how much he hates that bird.  He shifts in the bed and reaches across out to grab Peacekeeper from the night stand to take care of the bird, but the motion wakes up Hanzo, who decides he doesn’t want his personal furnace to leave.  Jesse becomes trapped by pair of very muscular arms that pull him back down onto the bed. 

“Sugar, let me kill the chicken.”

“Do that in a couple more hours at a reasonable time.”

“Fer a farm, this is a reasonable time.”

“For an assassin it is not, and if you do not stay in bed I will personally show you what a Shimada is capable of.”

Jesse chuckles, Hanzo sounds half asleep but dead serious.  “Heh, you wouldn’t do that to lil’ ol’ me, now would you, Darlin’?”

Jesse feels Hanzo shift behind him and tenses for the incoming attack.  What he doesn’t expect are the gentle kisses along his spine and shoulders.

“No, you know I would not,” Hanzo says in between kisses, “but I do have other methods of convincing you to stay that I will use.”

Jesse turns around in Hanzo’s arms to face him.  There’s a sleepy but mischievous look on his face and his eyes are barely open but Jesse can guess where this is going. 

“Oh honey, are ya sayin’ what I think yer sayin’?  Because I will gladly stay in bed fer that.”  Jesse rubs his bare legs against Hanzo’s flesh and metal ones and starts running his hands down his sides.  Hanzo’s smile widens, pleased with where this is heading.  Jesse leans in to kiss him and slips a hand underneath the thin sheet covering them.  His hand slides farther down until-

“Hanzo, Hanzo, show us the dragons again!” yell Sofia and Joel as they throw the door open and run in.  Jesse’s hand shoots back and both men quickly sit up.  Hanzo scrabbles to make sure the sheet is covering everything important while Jesse glares at the kids.

“Don’t you two know how ta knock?” 

The kids ignore Jesse and start bouncing on the end of the bed.  “Dragons!  Dragons!” they chant.

Hanzo quickly calls out the dragons and orders them out of the room.  Sofia and Joel happily run out after them.  Both men are silent for a moment before Jesse cracks and starts laughing.  Hanzo tries to scowl and look unhappy but starts laughing too after a couple seconds.

“I thought we would finally escape the cock blocking for a little bit coming out here.  And yet, your niece and nephew are almost as bad as my brother and Hana.”

“Yea, well, what can ya do.”  Jesse slides back up next to Hanzo and puts a dangerous grin on his face.  “But, they should be thoroughly distracted now so whaddya say we get back to where we were?”

“As much as I would like to we should get up and join your family for breakfast.”

“But Hanzoooo.”  Hanzo shushes Jesse with a finger over his lips and a kiss to his nose.

“We can continue this later, when we have more privacy.”

“Deal.”  Jesse kisses Hanzo’s finger then hops out of bed.  They get dressed at a leisurely pace, Jesse putting on clothes to go do more farm work in, Hanzo putting on workout clothes to go run in.

Breakfast is a casual ordeal with everyone walking in and out at various times as they start their day.  When they’re done eating, Jesse heads out to the barns with Neal and Hanzo leaves to go do a mild workout.  There isn’t as much to do today so Jesse finishes up well before lunch.  He debates making lunch for everyone and sharing some of the recipes he’s learned from teammates but when he gets inside he sees Hanzo has already beat him to it.  By the smell of it, he’s making teriyaki chicken (one of the few meals he can make without burning down the kitchen), and by the sound of it, he’s telling one of Jesse’s more embarrassing stories from their time at the Watchpoint.  Maria and Sarah sit at barstools across the counter with invested looks on their faces.

“So we are almost done the simulation, just three more training robots to take out before we can mark it down as a success.  I spot two of them around the corner from Jesse from my vantage point and report it to him.”

“Hey there, sugarplum,” Jesse says with a tense voice.  “Whatcha talkin’ ‘bout here?”  Jesse knows exactly which story Hanzo is telling but desperately wants it not to be true.

“Oh, hello Jesse.  I am telling your sisters about the training simulation we ran two weeks ago.  Do you remember that one?” Hanzo says with a smug smile.

“How could I forget,” Jesse mumbles under his breath.

“Anyways, I report their position to Jesse and wait for him to take them out.  But, instead of taking them down with an easy combat roll and fan of the hammer, I hear a loud rip and see Jesse standing straight up, not moving a muscle.”

“Wait,” Sarah says.  “Are you telling us that he ripped his pants!?”

“Oh yes,” Hanzo laughs.  “When he ran back to our room, I do not think I have ever seen him move so fast.”

“Hanners, yer not supposed ta make fun of yer boyfriend like that,” Jesse whines.

“On the contrary, my love.  Dating you means I have the privilege of making fun of you first.”  Hanzo walks over to where Jesse is standing and pouting and kisses his cheek.  “It also means I have the privilege of making it up to you later.”

Jesse smiles and takes his spot next to Hanzo in the kitchen to help him finish up.  He could never really stay mad at him. 

The rest of the family filters in as they finish up.  Isabella is absolutely delighted that she doesn’t have to help at all and she gets to relax for the afternoon.  When they finally get everyone seated and eating the compliments for Hanzo don’t stop.  He gets flustered and attempts to hide behind his meal.

Jesse becomes so absorbed in the food and conversation that he almost forgets about his plans for the afternoon.

“Oh honey, we better head out before it gets too late.”

“Head out?  Head out where?” asks Isabella and Hanzo at the same time.

“Oh I just want to show Hanners something.  It’ll take the whole afternoon ta ride out there on the horses an’ back but should be back ‘fore dinner.”

“Oh… ok.”

“Don’t worry ma, I promise we’ll be fine.  We were last time we went out.”

“Yes but a mother never stops worrying about her children.  Just be careful and please be home before dinner.”

Jesse and Hanzo walk out to the stables, saddle up Apollo and Tombstone again, and head out. 

“So where are we going, my love?”

“It’s a surprise, honeybee.”

“You know I do not like surprises.”

“It’s a good surprise, I promise.”

Jesse leads them back into the mountains but on a completely different trail.  Eventually the trail disappears but Jesse keeps heading up the mountain side without stopping.  When they reach the peak of one of the smaller mountains Jesse finally stops and dismounts.  Jesse always thought the view was stunning with the way the bigger mountains surrounded them and created an isolated little hideaway in their green valleys. 

“Jesse, this is beautiful,” Hanzo says with an amazed look on his face.

“Yea, it is.  I stumbled on this place by accident about eight years ago, right after I left Blackwatch.  I wanted to go see all’a ‘em but I chickened out.  So instead I hiked in ta the mountains ta try an’ clear my head, get my courage back, an’ I found this place.  I’m pretty sure I’m the only one who knows ‘about this spot, besides you now.”

Jesse pulls of his serape and lays it on the ground for them to sit on.  Hanzo molds perfectly into his side, like he was always meant to be there.

“I always came back here when I was in the area.  Let me be kinda close ta my parents without puttin’ ‘em in real danger, and all the bad shit from my past never seemed ta be able ta follow me up here.”

“It made you feel at peace.”

“Yea, still does, though that might be ‘cuz of you, beautiful.” 

Hanzo blushes and ducks his head away to hide the flush, but Jesse doesn’t let Hanzo get too far away before he’s peppering his face with kisses.

“I used to have a place like this,” Hanzo says when he can finally escape Jesse’s assault.  “There was a lake outside the city limits in Hanamura.  It was somewhat deep in the forest and required a small hike to get to it so I think I only ever saw one other person there.  When I was out there, sitting under the cherry blossoms and dipping my toes in the water, I never felt freer.  For a little while I was not Shimada Hanzo, heir to the Clan.  I was just another normal person.”

“You could be in your own world up there.”

“Yes.  And as much as I love our friends and having all those people to talk to and be with, I miss that lake.  The solitude I felt there was peaceful, nothing like the solitude I felt before joining Overwatch, it was a nice feeling.”

“I getcha Hanz.  It’s what I feel up here.  Company is good and all, but sometimes one just needs some time to be alone with the world.”

They settle into a comfortable silence and watch the trees sway through the gentle breeze and the occasional bird take flight.  Jesse pulls the tie out of Hanzo’s hair and runs his hands through it while Hanzo traces idle patterns into Jesse’s lower back. 

“Jesse?” Hanzo says, breaking the silence after some time.

“Yea, sweetcheeks?”

“How do you even come up with these ridiculous nicknames?”

“It’s a talent twenty years in the makin’.  But that’s not what you were gonna ask, was it?”

“No.  I wanted to ask what you see yourself doing in the future.”

“I plan on eatin’ more of Mama’s amazin’ cookin’ an’ I plan on playin’ with my nieces and nephews as much as I can while they still think I’m cool an’ I plan on tellin’ the love of my life how much I love him.”

Hanzo laughs.  “Those are very nice plans but that is not what I am talking about.”

“Oh really?  So ya don’t want me ta tell ya how much I love ya?”  Hanzo squishes Jesse’s cheeks in his hand. 

“No, tell me how much you love me every day,” he says before giving Jesse a quick kiss on his pursed lips.

“Oh good, ‘cuz I was gonna do that anyways.”  Hanzo laughs at Jesse’s funny pronunciation and steals another quick kiss.

“Now stop interrupting me,  koishī .  I mean what do you see yourself doing after Overwatch?”  Jesse gently removes Hanzo’s hand from his face and thinks hard about that.

“I don’t know, hon.  I mean, you know I never thought I would live this long and I guess I still don’t allow myself to think that far ahead with the work we’re doin’.  But I do know one thing, I’m ninety-nine percent sure that I want to spend whatever future I have with you.”

“Oh, only ninety-nine percent?”

“Yea, the last one percent is in case I decide that Torb’s the man for me.”  Hanzo laughs.  It’s one of those laughs that causes Jesse’s brain to short circuit and makes him wonder how he got so lucky. 

“What about you?” Jesse asks after he gets his brain to work again.  “What do you want to do after we save the world?”

“Hmm, I want to travel the world.  Not as a mercenary or an Overwatch agent, but as a normal person, a tourist.  I want to visit somewhere and not focus on extraction points or where we can hold a tactical advantage.  I just want to look at a city and see its beauty.”

“That sounds real nice, Han,” Jesse says softly.  “Can I come with you?”

“I thought you wanted to be with Torbjorn?”

“And his army of kids?  I’d lose my damn mind.  Now come on, tell me where we’re gonna go first.”

“I hear Numbani is a beautiful city, when it’s not being attacked by supervillains.”

* * *

Jesse’s not sure when they fell asleep on the mountain top, but he does know that when he finally wakes up the sun is almost setting and they’ve spent way too long up there.  There’s no way they’ll be able to make it back to the ranch before dinner like he said they would.

“Shit, shit, shit.  Hanzo wake up, we gotta go.”

“Wha- what is the matter?”

“We fell asleep.  We gotta get back asap.”

“Kuso.”

They quickly clean up everything and get back on their horses.  They make their way back down the mountain but the waning light slows their pace.  By the time they make it back to the ranch and get the horses back in their stables it’s dark out and already knows he messed up, big.

He bursts into the house with an apology already on his lips.

“I'm sorry, I'm sorry.  It's all my fault.  We were talkin then we fell asleep and-”

Jesse's ramble is cut off by Isabella rushing him and gathering him up in a tight hug.

“Oh Jesse, you're okay.  You and Hanzo are okay.  Your father and I were so worried.”

“I know mama and I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.”

“It's okay sweetie.  You're home now and that all that matters.”

Jesse breathes a sigh of relief and holds on to his mom as long as possible.  How did he get so lucky to end up with the best parents ever.

“Really?  All it takes is a half assed apology and you forgive him just like that?” Peter yells, effectively ruining the moment.  “Mama, he nearly had you in hysterics but it's okay because he claims he's sorry!?”

“Peter!”

“Excuse me?” Jesse asks in his frighteningly calm voice that he only uses when he's truly angry.  He's been civil this whole time with Peter and hasn't asked a single thing from him and all he gets in return is own brother muttering insults at him and questioning his intentions.  Jesse is done playing nice.  “Claim I'm sorry?”

“Yea, because you don't care about this family, you've never cared about this family!  All you care about is yourself!”

“Peter stop that this instant.”

“No, mama.  Let him get all this out, it's been a long time comin so lets see what the high and mighty, ‘could-do-no-wrong’ Peter McCree has to say about the family fuck-up.”

“Oh you are so far beyond ‘fuck-up’.  Do you know what it was like when you ran off with Deadlock?  Mama would barely sleep, barely eat, Dad would go down to the police station everyday to see if you were locked up or in the morgue.  Then 15 years later you blow back in and expect mama and dad to take you back like nothing ever happened.”

“I never expected that from them!  I know what I broke when I left that day and I never expected to fix it when I came back.  I only wanted to try a build something new that was a fraction of what we had.  And ya know what?  We did because they know that I have spent every single day of the past 22 years trying to atone for that mistake.  Something you would know if you had given me 2 minutes to explain when I came around last time.”

“Because atonement is so hard when you have a perfect boyfriend that absolutely adores you-”

“You leave Hanzo out of this!”

“-And when you're traipsing around the world having fun and breaking as many laws as you can.”

“You think I had fun?  I had to watch good people, my friends, die right in front of me every week.  I had to hear about the woman that I considered a mother be declared MIA, presumed dead on the other side of the world and hold her daughter and let her cry into my shirt until she fell asleep.  I had to lose my goddamn arm saving people who didn't give two shits about me!  Then, I had to hear about the one man who saw something worth a damn in me and saved my life die in an explosion and have his name dragged through the mud.

“But you don't care about any of that because then I wouldn't be such a terrible person and that would mean you were wrong about something for the first time in your life and you’d rather have your pride than a relationship with your own brother.  And that's all  _ you  _ care about.”

Jesse sees the punch coming from a mile away but he still lets it connect.  Peter is stronger than he honestly expected and it knocks him back a step.  By the time he gets his wits back and he's ready to return the punch, hands are on him holding him back and Peter’s being held back by Neal and Sarah.  

“Get offa me,” Jesse says as he struggles to get out of Robbie’s and Hanzo’s grip.

“Jesse!” Hanzo moves around to his line of vision and fixes him with one of his most authoritative stares.  “Go take a walk, now.”

Jesse shrugs out of Robbie’s hands and walks out of the house, making sure to slam the front door on the way.  The cooling air immediately starts to clear his head.  He lets his feet carry him without direction and he really wishes he could have a cigarillo right now.  

Jesse finds himself in the barn before he realizes it.  Tombstone neighs at him from his left and he sighs.  He really made a big mess of everything.  He walks over to Tombstone’s stall and starts petting her snout.  

“Hey there girl.  I messed up again didn't I?”  Tombstone snorts.  “Yea that's what I thought.  Mind if I stay with you for a while?  I probably shouldn't head back to the house for a while.”  Jesse takes a seat in her stall, closing the door behind him.  Tombstone just snorts again and goes back to doing whatever she was doing before Jesse got there.

Jesse takes comfort in the silence and lets the last bit of his anger bleed away.  He's not sure how much time has passed when he hears someone else walk into the barn. For second he thinks it's Hanzo coming to find him, but the muttering and cursing sounds more like Peter.  Of course, just his luck.  Jesse silently curses and sinks down further in the hay.

“That self righteous, arrogant, son of a bitch,” Peter curses under his breath.  “Who the hell does he think he is saying all I care about is- Jesus Christ!  Sorry Hanzo, I didn't hear you come in.”

“It is a specialty of mine.”

Jesse perks up and fights the urge to peak over the door of the stall.  Hanzo must have come looking for him.

“I don't know where he is.”

“I did not expect you to.  I'm not looking for him anyways.  Not yet at least.”

Or not.  

“Oh, ok.”  Jesse hears Peter shuffle around awkwardly.  “I'm sorry.  For trying to pull you into my, disagreement, with Jesse.”

“I accept your apology.”

Everyone is silent for a couple moments.  Going by the noise Jesse hears, he’d hazard a guess that Peter is the one shuffling around awkwardly and Hanzo’s petting one of the horses.

“Look, Hanzo, is there something you need?  Because of not I would really like to be alone for a while.”  Hanzo lets the silence grow for a couple seconds before speaking up.  

“I am not a perfect man.  You may think so but I assure you, I lost the right to contend for that title when I too fought with my brother many years ago.”

Peter sighs.  “Well, brothers fight.  And I see what you're trying to do, you know.  ‘Bond’ with me over a shared experience so I will listen to you when you try to change my feelings about Jesse.  But I'm really not in the mood right- ...sorry.”

Jesse smirks.  He can imagine the exact glare Hanzo is giving Peter right now.

“Do not make assumptions about me and my actions, especially since your assumptions are wrong.  I am not trying to change any of your opinions -even if they are wrong- I am trying to give you advice.

“The fight I had with my brother, Genji, was much more than a simple disagreement.  We ended up drawing our blades against each other and fighting for our lives.  When it was over, he had taken my legs, and I had taken… much more from him.

“Holy shit.”

“We did not speak for 10 years after that and have only recently reconciled, though we are far from being as close as we once were.”

“That's- wow.  I'm sorry, Hanzo.”

“I do not tell you this for your pity.  I tell you this because I do not wish to see two more brothers go down that same path.  It took me many years to realize that there were many factors leading up to our battle that I could not control, but one thing I could have done better was listen to Genji instead of being so stubborn and set in my ways.  Much pain could have been avoided that way.”

“I'll take that under consideration.”

“Thank you.  In the meantime I do believe your wife was looking for you.”

“I should go see what she needs.”

Jesse hears Peter walk out of the barn and breathes a sigh of relief.  That could have gone a lot worse.

“You know, it is not polite to eavesdrop.” Hanzo says once Peter is out of range.

“It ain't eavesdropping when I was here first.”

Hanzo’s head appears overtop of the stall door.  He ever so politely asks Tombstone if he can join them and after getting the horse’s approval slides into the stall and sits down with only a slight look of disdain.

“The farm hands muck out the stalls every day.  I promise you it's clean and you won't sit in any horse shit,” Jesse says.

“I assumed so, I am just not accustomed to this.  I mean no disrespect to your family or their profession.”

“I know ya don't honey bee.  Farm life definitely is something else.”

They sit in comfortable silence for a while and Jesse tries to gather his thoughts.

“I'm sorry, for earlier.  I let my temper get the best of me again and ruin the peaceful and relaxing vacation I promised ya.”

“You did not ruin anything my love.  The last few days were perfect and while the rest of the week may be tense I am sure I will still enjoy it.  Besides, you and your brother needed to get all of that out.  Confrontation of your problems is the first step to healing as Zenyatta likes to say.

“Zen also likes to make ball jokes whenever he can so I take everythin’ he says with a grain of salt,” Jesse counters.  “I am proud of ya though.  Talkin’ about Genji and what you two went through without blowin’ up or shuttin’ down and shoulderin’ all the blame.”

“I did come close a few times, but thank you.  It felt… refreshing to be able to do that.”

Jesse goes quiet again.  Hanzo grabs his hand and rubs random patterns into the back of it.

“How did you and Genji make up?  Like how did ya start?”

“With a lot of fighting and yelling, as you know.  But also with the mutual decision to put away our egos and wants in favor of reconciliation.”

“Mutual, huh?  Well I guess that means Pete and I don’t have a chance.”

“Do not discount your brother so quickly, just give him some time.  Meanwhile, how about we go inside and get something to eat since we missed dinner.

“Yea, okay.”

Hanzo helps Jesse up and they say goodbye to Tombstone.  The two walk hand in hand back to the house, a small but undeniably helpful comfort for Jesse.

They enter the house and find Neal and Isabella sitting on one of the couches talking softly.  The conversation stops when they see Jesse and look at him with hurting expressions.  Jesse hangs his head with a sigh and walks over to them.  They scoot apart to give him room to sit in between them and Hanzo leaves for the kitchen to give them some privacy. 

“I’m sorry,” Jesse says as soon as he sits down.

“Oh honey you don’t have to apologize to us.  We aren’t mad at you.”

“We’re just concerned, son.  That was a pretty explosive fight.”

“Yea,” Jesse runs his hand through his hair.  “But it was a long time comin’ so…”

“Are you two gonna be okay?” Isabella asks.

“Honestly, mamá, I don’t know.”

“Okay, well we saved you some leftovers from dinner if you and Hanzo are still hungry.  They’re in the fridge.”

“Thanks mamá, I’ll see ya in the morning.”  Jesse gives him mom a kiss on the forehead and his dad a tight hug before they go upstairs.  He joins Hanzo in the kitchen with a soft ‘Hey Hon’.  He pulls the leftovers out of the fridge and reheats them in the microwave.  They eat silently in the empty dining room.  Enough words have already been said today so they just hold hands.  The noodle dragons make an appearance eventually and float around for a bit before Soba wraps himself around Jesse’s shoulders and Udon around Hanzo’s.

When their meals are finished the dishes are cleaned and they head upstairs.  Then get ready for bed and crawl under the covers facing each other.  Jesse pulls Hanzo close until Hanzo’s thighs are tangled with his own.  Hanzo cards his fingers through Jesse’s hair, almost lulling him to sleep.

“Hey,” Jesse says softly before he can actually fall asleep.  “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“Just, bein’ there for me.”

“That is my job is it not?” he says with a half-smile.

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

**Author's Note:**

> I'm on tumblr at: cryptidhanzoshimada


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